Touch screen interaction using dynamic haptic feedback

Abstract

A method, system, and one or more computer-readable storage media for providing multi-dimensional haptic touch screen interaction are provided herein. The method includes detecting a force applied to a touch screen by an object and determining a magnitude, direction, and location of the force. The method also includes determining a haptic force feedback to be applied by the touch screen on the object based on the magnitude, direction, and location of the force applied to the touch screen, and displacing the touch screen in a specified direction such that the haptic force feedback is applied by the touch screen on the object.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing multi-dimensional haptic touch screen interaction, comprising:
 detecting a force applied to a touch screen by a first object, wherein the touch screen comprises a first and second display tile contacting the first object, wherein the first and second display tile of the touch screen move in a plurality of planes to apply a force on the first object and a second object, respectively; 
 determining a magnitude, a direction, and a location of the force applied to the first and second display tile of the touch screen; and 
 determining a haptic force feedback to be applied by the first display tile of the touch screen on the first object based on the magnitude, the direction, and the location of the force applied to the first and second display tile of the touch screen; where the touch screen locks for a user annotation in response to a detected force on the touch screen in a second position. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , comprising linking a three-dimensional image being displayed by the touch screen with a displacement of the touch screen in a z-direction. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 determining a z-coordinate of a position of the touch screen during displacement of the touch screen in a z-direction; and 
 rendering a stereographic three-dimensional image on the touch screen based on the location of the force applied to the touch screen and the z-coordinate of the position of the touch screen. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , comprising moving the touch screen in a positive z-direction if the magnitude of the force applied to the touch screen exceeds a specified upper threshold. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , comprising moving the touch screen in a negative z-direction if the magnitude of the force applied to the touch screen is below a specified lower threshold. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the haptic force feedback comprises imposing a detent or a vibration, or both, at a specified position during displacement of the touch screen, and wherein the detent or the vibration, or both, are imposed until the force applied to the touch screen exceeds a predetermined upper threshold or drops below a predetermined lower threshold. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the haptic force feedback comprises imposing a deadband during displacement of the touch screen, wherein the deadband is determined based on hysteresis. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 displacing the touch screen in a positive z-direction if the force applied is increased; and 
 displacing the touch screen in a negative z-direction if the force applied is decreased. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback is z-axis displacement comprising programmable detent characteristics. 
     
     
       10. A computing system for providing multi-dimensional haptic touch screen interaction, comprising:
 a haptic touch screen device comprising a touch screen and a force sensor, wherein the force sensor is configured to detect a force applied to the touch screen by a first object, and wherein the touch screen comprises a first and second display tile contacting the first object and a second object, respectively, wherein the first and second display tile of the touch screen move in a plurality of planes to apply a force on the first and second object, respectively; 
 a processor that is adapted to execute stored instructions; and 
 a system memory, wherein the system memory comprises code configured to: determine a magnitude, a direction, and a location of the force applied to the first and second display tile of the touch screen; and 
 determine a haptic force feedback to be applied by the first display tile of the touch screen on the first object based on the magnitude, the direction, and the location of the force applied to the first and second display tile of the touch screen, where the touch screen locks for a user annotation in response to a detected force on the touch screen in a second position. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the haptic touch screen device is configured to move the touch screen in a positive z-direction if the magnitude of the force applied to the touch screen exceeds a specified upper threshold, and wherein the haptic touch screen device is configured to move the touch screen in a negative z-direction if the magnitude of the force applied to the touch screen is below a specified lower threshold. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the haptic touch screen device is configured to link a three-dimensional image being displayed by the touch screen with the movement of the touch screen. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the haptic force feedback comprises a detent or a vibration, or both, imposed at a specified position during movement of the touch screen, and wherein the detent or the vibration, or both, are imposed until the force applied to the touch screen exceeds a predetermined upper threshold or drops below a predetermined lower threshold. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the haptic force feedback comprises a deadband imposed during displacement of the touch screen, and wherein the deadband is determined based on hysteresis. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the touch screen is configured to render a stereographic three-dimensional image based on the location of the force applied to the touch screen and a position of the touch screen in three-dimensional space. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the haptic touch screen device is configured to control movement of the touch screen in real-time based on variations in the force applied to the touch screen by the object. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the touch screen comprises two-dimensional multi-touch input and stereographic three-dimensional output. 
     
     
       18. One or more computer-readable storage media for storing computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions providing a system for providing multi-dimensional haptic touch screen interaction when executed by one or more processing devices, the computer-readable instructions comprising code configured to:
 detect a force applied to a touch screen by a first finger of a user, wherein the touch screen comprises a first and second display tile contacting the first finger and a second finger of a user, respectively, wherein the first and second display tile of the touch screen move in a plurality of planes to apply a force on the first and the second finger, respectively; 
 determine a magnitude, a direction, and a location of the force applied to the first and second display tile of the touch screen; 
 determine a haptic force feedback to be applied by the first display tile of the touch screen on the first finger of the user based on the magnitude, the direction, and the location of the force applied to the first and second display tile of the touch screen, where the touch screen locks for a user annotation in response to a detected force on the touch screen in a second position.